VSS3 Power solid, Internet white flashing

[rraynsford]

I have a problem with a VSS3.  It has power light on constant and internet light flashing white, no other lights. 

The unit is new and has never worked. 

Looks like a resync worked for some people so can we try that please? Serial no 40132332525

I bought it to replace a VSS1 which worked since forever, then stopped, displaying a pattern of lights which I could not find on any other posts.  About 2 months before I noticed the VSS1 having a problem, I changed internet router.  I did not believe I could have failed to notice the lack of the suresignal for that long…but maybe that’s what happened and all my problems are due to my router.  This is a Netgear DGND3700v2.  I have seen  a couple of posts about this router. 

This one recommends a series of firewall/NAT rules which I have implemented

http://forum.vodafone.co.uk/t5/Vodafone-Sure-Signal/VSS-working-with-Netgear-DGND3700v2/td-p/1220300

This one recommends a firmware upgrade which I have done (the upgrade which worked was to V1.1.00.12_1.00.12_t3, I have now upgraded to V1.1.00.15_1.00.15

http://forum.vodafone.co.uk/t5/Vodafone-Sure-Signal/Netgear-DGND3700v2-New-Firmwear-VSS-working/td-p...

 I know that there is a standard line you will tell me that you cannot diagnose every router and VSS combination.  Of course you can’t.  However,  it would be nice to have something more precise to tell say Netgear, or to work on myself than “its not working”.  For example, are we failing to look up an IP in DNS, are we failing to get a response on a specific port, or after sending packets on a specific port? The ”troubleshooting” guides stop at numpty-level  “have-you-plugged-it-in-dearie”  questions, hence the number of people flailing at this same question on the forum . What we need is not router by router advice, but something more detailed that documents all the connectivity the VSS3 needs so we can methodically figure out what is missing. Or really neat would be a little tool that could be downloaded to a PC in the same network as the VSS which could emulate what the VSS does and identify issues.

Anyway in the absence of that I will keep up the guesswork. 

Other info

Speed test : Ping 10ms  Download 16.88Mbps  Upload 1.05Mbps

Ping test : Packet loss  0%   Ping 12ms   Jitter 4ms

External  IP 212.159.87.239

tracert 212.183.133.177

1     2 ms     2 ms     1 ms  192.168.1.254

2    12 ms    57 ms     9 ms  lo0-central10.pcl-ag02.plus.net [195.166.128.183]

3    12 ms     9 ms     9 ms  link-a-central10.pcl-gw01.plus.net [212.159.2.164]

4     9 ms    12 ms     9 ms  xe-10-1-0.pcl-cr01.plus.net [212.159.0.196]

5    10 ms    10 ms     9 ms  ae1.ptw-cr01.plus.net [195.166.129.0]

6    11 ms    13 ms    13 ms  lndgw2.arcor-ip.net [195.66.224.124]

7    10 ms    10 ms    10 ms  85.205.116.2

8     *        *        *     Request timed out.

9     *        *        *     Request timed out.

10     *        *        *     Request timed out.

11     *        *        *     Request timed out.

12     *        *        *     Request timed out.

13     *        *        *     Request timed out.

14     *        *        *     Request timed out.

15     *        *        *     Request timed out.

16     *     ^C

[Retired-Simon]

Hi rraynsford

Thanks for your post.

Your speed, ping test and traceroute are fine and your IP is white listed.

I’ve performed a resync for you, your Sure Signal will need a reset as follows:

• Hold the reset button till all the lights come on or flash (about 30 seconds)
• Keeping the rest button held, remove and re-insert the power lead
• Once all the lights come on or flash, release the reset button
• The VSS should come online within the hour

Please let us know how you get on.

Thanks

Simon

[rraynsford]

looks to me like those are the reset instructions for a previous model...since I don't have a power lead to remove.  I've seen instructions on how to do it for a VSS3 in other posts so I will try that again

[rraynsford]

tried to do the reset to the VSS3

Last night with the unit plugged in, I pressed the reset button for 30 seconds, after which the internet light stopped flashing but the power light stayed on constant. 

then after say 10 seconds the internet light started flashing again, so I left it trying.  It was still trying this morning (i.e. same lights : power constant, internet flashing)  so looks like the resynch thing didn't work

next idea?

[Retired-Dave]

Hi rraynsford,

Apologies, you're right - those were the old model's instructions. 

We have to keep the troubleshooters reasonably clear and easy to follow as, whilst some customers are very tech-savvy, others aren't and we don’t want them scared off by complex checks. We're still able to look into things more though - that just covers the most common fixes.

I'll certainly feed back the idea of a diagnosis tool as well. I wouldn't know where to start on one so I don't know how feasible it is, but it's a fair suggestion.

Can you check that you have the following ports open for forwarding for me?

 - 8

 - 50

 - 123

 - 500

 - 1723

 - 4500

Also, you need to make sure the following IP ranges are allowed

212.183.133.177-179

212.183.133.181-182

212.183.131.128-191

88.82.13.177-179

88.82.13.169-171

88.82.13.183

These are usually set up automatically, but when it doesn't connect out of the box, it's worth checking them.

Dave

[rraynsford]

Thanks for the replies.  After leaving the unit sat there since the last post doing exactly the same thing, I thought I would try it from somebody else's internet. Took it to a friend's house and after about 20 mins it started to work.

Brought it home, plugged it back in last night.  This morning it works. Miracle.  At a guess there is a port it uses as part of its first-time setup (but not aferwards) that I didn't have open. I checked your list and indeed 1723 was not open. I had asked the phone support guy to give me the port list and he did but that one wasn't on it. Thats one reason I think extending the read-this-first troubleshooting guide to include all the ports might be helpful.  

So its now working.  Just in case it stops again....you also gave me some IP address ranges ...did you mean that those port forwards should be enabled for those external IPs? (I did it for any external IP so far)  And when you said its set up automtically, is that on my router via UPnP ? Or some other magic....just wondering if there is something else I can do to make sure it works if there is a next time  

[Ben_H]

Hi rraynsford,

Thanks for the update. I'm glad to see it's all and running now.

The forwarding IP's are usually available but for those who have a bespoke set up at home it's worthwhile checking these are enabled to allow the Sure Signal to set up OK. Having these enabled and the ports mentioned in Dave's post will help to avoid any future issues.

Cheers, Ben

[cosbie]

Hi we have moved house.  Previously on BT Infinity but now on BT total broadband.  Same router, same PCs, laptops, phones etc.  The White internet light is flashing or has been solid orange with light 4 as well.  Also 3 and 4 have been orange.  Mobile can not register on the network.  Have reset as per the instructions and unplugged etc.  Unit worked fine at the old house.  Here are the details of tests run.  No clue how to check ports etc on laptop.

Serial No: 40130436120

IP 86.166.47.38

IPv6 ::ffff:56a6:2826

Jitter 28

Ping 70

Download 1.23

Upload 0.34

PING 52

C:\Users\Ross>tracert 212.183.133.177

Tracing route to cluster4.vap.vodafone.co.uk [212.183.133.177]

over a maximum of 30 hops:

  1   436 ms     2 ms     2 ms  BThomehub.home [192.168.1.254]

  2   372 ms   370 ms   381 ms  217.32.141.148

  3   289 ms   301 ms   321 ms  217.32.141.206

  4   335 ms   351 ms   359 ms  212.140.235.66

  5   300 ms   301 ms   311 ms  213.120.182.71

  6    98 ms    94 ms    85 ms  31.55.164.109

  7   254 ms   264 ms   274 ms  acc2-10GigE-0-3-0-5.bm.21cn-ipp.bt.net [109.159.

248.244]

  8   164 ms    95 ms    94 ms  core2-te0-4-0-4.ealing.ukcore.bt.net [109.159.24

8.134]

  9    16 ms   140 ms    19 ms  peer1-xe10-1-0.telehouse.ukcore.bt.net [109.159.

254.110]

 10    19 ms    19 ms    20 ms  lndgw2.arcor-ip.net [195.66.224.124]

 11    76 ms    93 ms   114 ms  85.205.116.6

 12     *        *        *     Request timed out.

 13     *        *        *     Request timed out.

 14     *        *        *     Request timed out.

 15     *        *        *     Request timed out.

 16     *        *        *     Request timed out.

 17     *        *        *     Request timed out.

 18     *        *        *     Request timed out.

 19     *        *        *     Request timed out.

 20     *        *        *     Request timed out.

 21     *        *        *     Request timed out.

 22     *        *        *     Request timed out.

 23     *        *        *     Request timed out.

 24     *        *        *     Request timed out.

 25     *        *        *     Request timed out.

 26     *        *        *     Request timed out.

 27     *        *        *     Request timed out.

 28     *        *        *     Request timed out.

 29     *        *        *     Request timed out.

 30     *        *        *     Request timed out.

Trace complete.

Desperately need this online.  Next door have VSS on Sky broadband and works fine.  As you can ascertain from download/upload speeds we live in a field so vital VSS works optimally.

Thanks

[Ben_H]

Hi cosbie,

Welcome to the eForum and many thanks for posting your details ready.

From your results this looks to be a speed issue. The Traceroute is very delayed and the Sure Signal requires a minimum 4.13Mbps download speed to work. I'd speak to BT and discuss your speed options with them.

Let me know how you get on and if there's anything else I can help with.

Cheers, Ben